The Enforcement Directorate (ED), on Tuesday, conducted search and seizure operations at 21 premises across Karnataka and Ahmedabad in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC) recruitment process, NDTV reported.
According to the ED, the searches were carried out by its Bengaluru Zonal Office under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The premises searched included the KPSC office, the residence of KPSC Chairman Shivashankaranappa S Sahukar, KPSC member Shanta Hosmani, alleged middlemen, and the office of Edutest Solutions Pvt Ltd, the entity responsible for digital evaluation of examination papers, according to the statement by ED cited by NDTV. The searches also covered premises linked to candidates who were selected for the post of Veterinary Officers.
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The Enforcement Directorate's raids, conducted under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), are focused on suspected money laundering and the alleged concealment of money linked to the recruitment scam. The agency is also questioning staff who worked with Sahukar during his tenure and examining documents signed during that period, NDTV reported.
The 21 locations searched are spread across Karnataka, including Bengaluru, Hassan, Chitradurga, Davanagere, Raichur, Karwar, Kalaburagi and Belagavi, as well as Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
The probe stems from multiple FIRs registered at Bengaluru's Vidhana Soudha Police Station. According to the ED, four FIRs relate to alleged irregularities in the final selection process for Veterinary Officers.
The agency said alleged middlemen approached candidates, including the complainant, and demanded Rs 70 lakh to Rs 80 lakh in exchange for helping them secure selection. The complainant reportedly handed over audio recordings of conversations with the middlemen, which are now part of the investigation.
The allegations go beyond bribery. The ED is also looking into claims of question paper leaks, tampering with OMR answer sheets and manipulation of the selection process. It is also examining allegations that relatives of KPSC officials were favoured during recruitment, NDTV reported.
The agency is now tracing the alleged flow of money and examining whether funds collected through the recruitment process were concealed or moved in a way that violates anti-money laundering laws.
The investigation is still underway, and the allegations have not been proven in court. The ED's searches are aimed at establishing how the alleged money trail worked and identifying those involved in the recruitment irregularities.
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